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A. S.R., to design a silo that will reliably store and discharge your material over the long term, you need to gather a range of information. Last issue, we discussed material to be stored and required storage capacity. In this second of two parts, we'll cover required openings, peripheral and imposed loads, geographical location, and soil conditions.
Whether your company contracts an independent consulting engineer or a silo supplier to design the silo, the following checklists of critical factors to consider can help you get started.
Wall and roof penetrations need to be defined and accounted for in the design. These include:
Internal and external loads due to anticipated equipment and structures must be accounted for in the design. Examples include:
The specific location may affect design parameters such as:
A soil analysis inclusive of borings and a geotechnical report is imperative to finalize the design. The report will typically provide:
This information will help the engineer determine the best solution for the foundation design.
Besides defining the material to be stored and the operational requirements of the silo, the engineer can work with the owner to define and determine the remainder of the required data. As with any design, the level of success is determined in accurately defining and understanding the design assumptions.
Answered by Tim Lease, a registered professional engineer and CEO of WL Port-Land Systems, Inc. He has 35 years of experience in bulk solids storage and handling.